Compressible furniture assemblies

ABSTRACT

An object of the present invention is to provide compressible furniture assemblies. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of packaging a compressible furniture assembly for self-assembly, the method having the following steps: forming a compressible furniture assembly having a compressible filler material enclosed by a corresponding air permeable enclosure; aligning the air permeable enclosure in the correct position for assembly; enclosing the compressible furniture assembly in a non-air permeable enclosure; removing air from the non-air permeable enclosure through an opening in the non-air permeable enclosure using an air removal means until the furniture assembly is compressed to a pre-determined threshold; and sealing the opening of the non-air permeable enclosure to prevent expansion of the compressible furniture assembly using a sealing means.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, generally, to furniture assemblies. More specifically, the invention relates to furniture assemblies that are compressible for transportation and storage.

BACKGROUND

Furniture assemblies are bulky, and as a result, storage, packaging and transportation thereof can be costly and inconvenient.

One possible solution is to transport or store furniture unassembled. This results in furniture being separated into several components that must be assembled when ready to use. If the furniture is already assembled, it may have to be disassembled for storage and transport. The process of assembling and disassembling furniture is inconvenient and complex.

Therefore is a need for furniture assemblies that can easily be put in a state that is convenient for storage and transportation while also requiring minimal labor associated with assembly. These furniture assemblies are able to conveniently be put in a state that is ready to use.

Furniture assemblies made of compressible materials may be able satisfy this need. A process to put and hold such an assembly into compressed state is required. This concept is most useful for furniture based on foam innards wherein the entire assembly possesses the characteristics of being able to be highly compressible.

The prior art has attempted to address this need for furniture assemblies comprising compressible materials that could facilitate transportation, storage and package.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,620 describes a method for packaging an article made from flexible foam encased in air permeable fabric. The method involves encasing the article in a bag that is air tight, removing air from the bag by means of a vacuum pump and simultaneously urging the bag into a rigid container. The article is compressed to less than about 25% of its freely expanded volume. However, this methodology does not address more complex foam furniture decompression techniques to ensure proper alignment and positioning of innards.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,952, 906 also discloses a method involves arranging a filler material within an air permeable bladder provided in a chair. The chair can be selectively compressed when air is removed from the chair. After placing the chair in a vacuum chamber a substantial amount of air from chair is removed. The chair is allowed to partially refill. The chair may also be stored in a container made of an air permeable material. However, this methodology utilizes a partially sealed compression chamber to allow for accelerated decompression while sacrificing tightly compressed assemblies. Furthermore, it does not address more complex foam furniture decompression techniques to ensure proper alignment and positioning of innards.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0066268 discloses a process of packaging polyurethane foam filled furniture. It involves placing article in a bag through an aperture. The initial volume of the article is reduced in volume. However, this methodology does not address more complex foam furniture decompression techniques to ensure proper alignment and positioning of innards.

The present invention was conceived and developed having regard to the known prior art and with the purpose of providing improved compressible furniture assemblies and a process to set and hold compressible furniture assemblies into a compressed state in a very convenient manner to allow assembly to take place without intervention once the air seal of the outer packaging is broken while maintaining its structural alignment.

This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide compressible furniture assemblies. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of packaging a compressible furniture assembly for self-assembly, the method having the following steps: forming a compressible furniture assembly having a compressible filler material enclosed by a corresponding air permeable enclosure; aligning the air permeable enclosure in the correct position for assembly; enclosing the compressible furniture assembly in a non-air permeable enclosure; removing air from the non-air permeable enclosure through an opening in the non-air permeable enclosure using an air removal means until the furniture assembly is compressed to a pre-determined threshold; and sealing the opening of the non-air permeable enclosure to prevent expansion of the compressible furniture assembly using a sealing means.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the method further has one or more compressible filler materials enclosed by one or more corresponding air permeable enclosures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a furniture assembly with air vents and pockets features;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of components within a furniture assembly;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a right and bottom view of a furniture assembly with multiple innards and internal connecting mechanisms;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a front and right view of a furniture assembly with internal connecting flaps;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a furniture assembly being subjected to an air compression means;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a furniture assembly after being subjected to an air compression means;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term “about” refers to a +/−10% variation from the nominal value. It is to be understood that such a variation is always included in a given value provided herein, whether or not it is specifically referred to.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

A better understanding of the present invention and its objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

An object of the present invention is to provide compressible furniture assemblies. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of packaging a compressible furniture assembly for self-assembly.

Foam Furniture

Compression of foam furniture assemblies of the present invention described herein entails the process of removing air from the furniture assemblies. Foam furniture may be any article designed for function or ornament which include, but are not limited to, chairs, sofas, couches, stools, cushions, floor cushions, ottomans, foot rests, loungers, chez, mattresses, futons, and beds.

The foam furniture has compressible filler material, namely foam, which is placed within an enclosure.

The compressible filler material may be any material which is resilient so that it selectively expands and contracts. Furthermore, filler material should be deformable such that when the chair is filled, the filler material conforms to the contours object placed upon it. When an object is placed on the compressible filler material in the enclosure, the filler material compresses to hold the object in position. Consequently, when the object is removed, the compressed filler material expands to regain its original shape. The filler material may be cut into small pieces (e.g., about 1 inch pieces) of material before being placed in the enclosure. Filler material may comprise other material including, but not limited to, conventional foam, extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane, polystyrene, polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene, and the like.

In one embodiment, a memory type foam material may be employed such that the furniture conforms to an object or person when in use to enhance the conformity of contouring, yet retains the original shape by allowing air to enter and regain its original shape. In yet another embodiment, the compressible filler material employed may be a hybrid mix of non-memory foam bit and memory bits placed selectively for optimal shape retention while providing comfort and support.

The enclosure can be made from any material which allows for retention of the compressible filler material and is compressible itself. The enclosure material is air permeable material allowing said material to compress and decompress and further allow the enclosed material to be compressed and decompressed. The material of the enclosure includes, but is not limited to, cotton, polyester, nylon, silk, faux-fur, fur, faux-denim, denim, faux-leather, textalene, and leather.

In some embodiments, the enclosure includes decorative aspects including but not limited to, imprints, textures, dyes, patterns, and combined materials.

In one embodiment, the furniture consists of the compressible filler material enclosed within the enclosure.

In some embodiments, a cover may be included which encloses the enclosure. The cover may be removable and decorative. The cover may include decorative aspects including but not limited to imprints, textures, dyes, patterns, and combined materials.

In some embodiments the cover may be made of an air permeable fabric.

In some embodiments, the cover has at least one air venting means that facilitates the entry and removal of air from the furniture assembly. The air venting means may comprise a portion of the cover that is made of an air permeable fabric or an aperture in the cover. The function of said venting means allows for the cover to expel trapped air without causes undue strain and pressure to the cover and underlying air-permeable enclosures and compressed filler material.

In some embodiments, the cover may also further comprise pockets. These pockets may be used to store items or a user's hands when sitting on chair embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the pockets are placed overlapping the air vents. An example of this configuration can be seen in FIG. 1. The furniture assembly (100) is fitted with air vents on the right and left sides of the assembly (101). The same areas where the vents allow air to escape also functions as the same area where the pocket/pouches are located (102).

In some embodiments, the furniture assembly comprises a plurality of enclosures and corresponding compressed filler materials. The enclosures are preferably independent from one another. In these embodiments, the present invention may include a cover that encloses the plurality of enclosures. The cover may be shaped to a particular furniture assembly, for example, a chair.

An example of such an assembly can be viewed in FIG. 2. The chair assembly (200) has a first compressible filler material (202) and a first enclosure (203). The chair assembly also has a second compressible filler material (212) and a second enclosure (213). Both enclosures are contained within a cover (220).

In this type of embodiment there are many internal mechanisms which allow the innards to be aligned and stay aligned such that the entire assembly can be compressed and decompressed without compromising structural rigidity and alignment.

An example of such a configuration can be seen in FIG. 3. The innards of a chair assembly are shown in both a right side view (300) and a bottom view (310). The multiple innards (301), (302) and (311), (312) are connected to each other by various means to ensure correct alignment and rigidity specification. The Velcro® ties (305), (315) allow for adhesion from the base innards (301), (311) to the back rest innards (302), and (312). Additionally, the string ties (318) allow for further securement of the base innards (301), (311) to the back rest innards (302), and (312). String ties may be made from any material, including but not limited to, Nylon, Plastic, Velcro®, rubber, and mesh. FIG. 4 further illustrates additional internal connecting mechanisms to maintain correct alignment and rigidity of furniture assembly. A front view of the chair assembly (400) and a right side view of the assembly (450) can be seen. The two innards consisting of the base innard (455) and back rest innard (465) are attached by a Velcro®flap which overlaps at the middle (470) of the assembly. The Velcro®flap (410) is attached to both innards sewn at one end having a loose end with opposing style Velcro®flaps for adhesion. In one embodiment the sewing is 18 inch by 1 inch wide rectangular set fabric piece (415) sewn all around with lockstitch at ⅛ inch from the edges. This ensures a sturdy application designed to maintain adhesion to the Velcro®flap and prevent tearing from the seams.

In at least one embodiment, other internal mechanism are implemented including but not limited to snaps, pulls, ties, buttons, grommets, webbing, screws and associated hardware, latches, connectors, and fasteners.

Compression Methodology

The selected furniture assembly may comprise any or all of the different varieties of units listed above. Once the furniture assembly is selected, the entire assembly undergoes a compression stage whereby the entire furniture assembly is enclosed within a non-air permeable enclosure. Air is removed from the non-air permeable enclosure compressing the entire furniture assembly to a fraction of its original volume. In some embodiments the compressible filler material is also reduced in volume.

The non-air permeable enclosure may be made from any material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride film sheet, or backed polyesters, so long as the non-air permeable enclosure is of a material such that air does not readily pass through the material.

In one embodiment, the air compression means is a vacuum. Means for air compression via a vacuum means are commonly known in the art, and are not specific to the invention. Thus, it will be known to one skilled in the art how to integrate such a means with the compressible furniture assemblies described herein.

Alternative means for air removal include means that involve application of an external force to the non-air permeable enclosure wherein its volume is decreased as air is released from its opening.

Once the air compression reaches the measured specification required for transportation or other application, the compressed enclosure must be sealed to hold the entire assembly in a state of compression. This may be achieved by a variety of means known in the art.

In one embodiment, the means for sealing the non-air permeable enclosure includes bonding the non-air permeable enclosure material together thermally. The application of heat, dependent on the material chosen for the non-air permeable enclosure, may be implemented by means of a heat gun, heat torch, or other means known in the art.

In another embodiment, the means for sealing the non-air permeable enclosure includes applying tape to the open side of the enclosure. In another embodiment, the means for sealing the non-air permeable enclosure includes threading with wire along a sealable seam. In another embodiment, the means for sealing the non-air permeable enclosure includes applying adhesive to the open side of the enclosure.

An example illustrating a furniture assembly being compressed by the compression means can be seen in FIG. 5. The furniture assembly (510) can be seen enclosed within the non-air permeable enclosure (520). The compression means selected is a vacuum compressor (530) which removes air from the enclosure (520) by applying an inlet hose (540) through the opening of the non-air permeable enclosure and into the open portion of the air permeable enclosure (550). In this example, the open portion of the air permeable enclosure is accessed by zipper. As air is withdrawn from both the air permeable and non-air permeable enclosures, the entire compressible furniture assembly reduces in volume.

An example illustrating a furniture assembly having been compressed can be seen in FIG. 6. The furniture assembly (610) has its volume reduced due to the vacuum compressor (630) having been applied to remove the air from both the non-air permeable and air permeable enclosures (620). It can be seen that the overall volume of the entire enclosure is reduced.

Subsequent to the non-air permeable enclosure being sealed by a specific means, the compressed sealed enclosure may be put into a container for transport or shipping.

In one embodiment, as the furniture assembly is compressed, it may be guided into a container (for example a box). This facilitates conformation of the furniture assembly to the inner shape of the container while compressed. The container may be any type of unit which stores the compressed furniture assembly for shipping, display for sale, etc. including but not limited to, a box, a bag, a plastic casing, a trunk, a chest, and a compartment.

In some embodiments, after the compressed furniture assembly is sealed, the assembly may be further packaged with support straps or placed in a container for storage or transportation.

Self-Assembly

The present methodology allows for decompression of a sealed compressed furniture assembly to self-assemble without any intervention excluding removing the non-air permeable enclosure (for example plastic cover) allowing air to pass through the compressed furniture assembly.

When the furniture is ready for use, the user takes the compressed sealed furniture assembly out of the container (if assembly contained within a container) and places the assembly in an area where the furniture may expand to its uncompressed volume without encumbrance by other objects.

The user simply uses any common tool to sever the seal on the non-air permeable enclosure. In at least one embodiment, the non-air permeable enclosure is marked with means to identify the optimal place to break the seal as to mitigate risk of tearing the internal compressible furniture assembly. In one example, the non-air permeable enclosure is labelled with a red arrow sticker at the point where the non-air permeable enclosure's seal should be severed.

Once the enclosure is removed, no matter what type of furniture assembly is selected, the entire assembly will decompress and require no assembly of internal mechanisms and will function fully once fully decompressed. Internal mechanisms includes any material/mechanism which may require labour to assemble, but are not limited to discrete innards enclosures, third party parts, covers, fasteners, ties, foam blocks, foam shapes, screws and corresponding hardware, and attachments.

The furniture assembly decompression time varies on the type of furniture assembly. In one example, a mid-size compressible furniture assembly (e.g., a foam chair) will decompress fully without any intervention within 24 to 48 hours.

This self-assembly is predicated upon the furniture assembly being pre-assembled at the manufacturing phase such that the entire furniture assembly is compressed once fully assembled such that the end user need only to allow for air to enter the furniture assembly and allow the assembly to self-assemble without tying, attaching, covering, or conducting any other assembly based steps.

The internal mechanisms configured earlier in the process allow for the compressed furniture assembly to decompress with full structural rigidity, alignment, and positioning without any additional intervention or manual assembly.

It is obvious that the foregoing embodiments of the invention are examples and can be varied in many ways. Such present or future variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method of packaging a compressible furniture assembly for self-assembly, the method comprising the following steps: forming a compressible furniture assembly comprising a compressible filler material enclosed by a corresponding air permeable enclosure; aligning the air permeable enclosure in the correct position for assembly; enclosing the compressible furniture assembly in a non-air permeable enclosure; removing air from the non-air permeable enclosure through an opening in the non-air permeable enclosure using an air removal means until the furniture assembly is compressed to a pre-determined threshold; and sealing the opening of the non-air permeable enclosure to prevent expansion of the compressible furniture assembly using a sealing means.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein, aligning the air permeable enclosure includes securing internal mechanisms.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein, air removal means comprises a vacuum system.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein, sealing means comprises any one of an adhesive, thermal bonding, tape, and threading.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein, compressible furniture assembly further comprises a cover enclosing the air permeable enclosure.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein, the sealed non-air permeable enclosure is placed in a container.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein, compressible furniture assembly further comprises one or more compressible filler materials enclosed by one or more corresponding air permeable enclosures.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein, compressible furniture assembly further comprises a cover enclosing the one or more air permeable enclosures.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein, aligning the one or more air permeable enclosures includes securing internal mechanisms. 